REPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 165 



Between April IG and Jnno 13, 1890, 723 lobsters fnrnished 8,317,000 

 eggs yielding 4,511,000 embryos. Between April 28 and June 30, 1891, 

 4,353,000 eggs were obtained from 482 lobsters, and from these 3,533,000 

 embryos Avere secured. The proportion of eggs liatched in 1889 was 

 about 51 per cent; in 1890, 54 i)er cent; and in 1891, 81 per cent. The 

 greatly increased percentage in the last-mentioned year was due to 

 greater skill in the handling of the eggs, and to the exclusive use of 

 the automatic shad jar, which is better adapted to the treatment 

 of lobster eggs than any other apparatus yet employed for that pur- 

 pose. Observations made in 1890 tended to show that the lobster eggs 

 did not hatch in the apparatus until the temperature of the water had 

 risen to between 54° and 59° F. This fact, however, needs to be cor- 

 roborated. 



During the seasons of 1890 and 1891, Mr. V. N. Edwards kept a 

 careful record resi^ecting the sizes of all breeding lobsters which he 

 handled, and the number of eggs furnished by each. The results ob- 

 tained are exceedingly interesting, and indicate that a larger propor- 

 tion of the lobsters begin to spawn at an early age than has generally 

 been supposed. These facts are shown in the following table : 



Table showing the nnmher of eggs to lobsters of each size, seasons of 1S90 and 1S91. 



The averages given in this table do not represent the total numbers 

 actually extruded by the females, as in a large percentage of the speci- 

 mens many of the eggs had been removed by one cause or another 

 before the lobsters were cai)tured. Eels, cunners, and other small 

 rapacious fishes are undoubtedly responsible for much of this destruc- 

 tion. The extreme range in the number of eggs recorded for each size 

 was as follows: In specimens measuring from 8 to 83 inches, 3,000 to 

 12,000 eggs; 9 to 10 inches, 3,000 to 16,500 eggs; 10 to 11 inches, 3,000 

 to 21,000 eggs; 11 to 12 inches, 3,000 to 24,000 eggs; 12 to 13 inches, 

 C,000 to 30,000 eggs; 13 to 14 inches, 15,000 to 36,000 eggs. 



Over one-fourth of the breeding lobstei'S were between 9 and 10 

 inches long, and nearly one-half between 10 and 11 inches long. Only 

 59 were taken whose size was above 12 inches, and none exceeded 14 

 inches. It may, -therefore, be concluded with resi)ect to tlie Vineyard 

 iSouud region that the average size of the breeding lobsters is much 



